President Obama has just given executive orders to close down Guantanamo Bay and secret prisons, the so-called CIA “black sites,” across the world. This is exactly what needs to be done. This move already gives light to his mentality and political attitude — an attitude of justice, adherence to long-existing principle, and no evil-doings.

Let me remind readers that this series of orders does not necessary stray from “anti-terror” policies, but it strays from unconstitutional behavior and imprisonment of innocent human beings who haven’t even been tried.

Jomas Gibson, Grand Junction

This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.

Just to set the record straight, not all of us are falling all over ourselves over the Obama election. Some of us are more than a little concerned that our new president would agree to close down Guantanamo with no plan for future disposition of these terrorists. The only people I can see this closing benefiting are the terrorists and the far left.

It’s been only a few days into the new administration. Some of the new president’s early decisions have been understandable and even acceptable, but the closing of Gitmo and the prospects of affording known terrorists all the same “due process” as U.S. visitors, aliens and citizens are absurd. Even more absurd is infusing those terrorists and military enemies of our country into our prison population. I am shocked that Gov. Bill Ritter, who should know the consequences of such a move, supports this concept and even encourages their movement to Colorado and the federal Supermax facility in Florence.

My 41 years in law enforcement and over 30 years either working within or managing a detention facility leads me to know that this is a very dangerous prospect for all Americans, the state of Colorado, and the people within the communities surrounding those federal facilities where these prisoners could be housed. Not only are the terrorist prisoners a threat to other prisoners, but also these communities, which will also see an influx of their supporters. The local law enforcement agencies would not have the resources or financial abilities to assist our prisons, if and when serious issues arise. I suspect our federal prisons that are already known for being understaffed will feel the same severe impact.

The closing of Gitmo must not be done at the expense of our country’s safety. I hope this is not a prelude to President Obama’s inexperience and his acquiescence to the fringe. This is a very dangerous precedent, and it’s time for everyone to speak up.

Stephen C. Zotos, Castle Rock

The writer was Douglas County sheriff from 1983-2003 and recently retired from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.

Some people are objecting to prisoners being sent to their state when the prison is closed at Guantanamo Bay.

Closing Guantanamo is a pledge that both Barack Obama and John McCain made during the presidential campaign; nobody raised any objections at that time.
Nobody asked the Cuban people for permission to establish the prison on their soil in the first place, not that the U. S. would have listened to their concerns. The U.S. has maintained a naval base there for more than 100 years. What is the legal or moral justification for such occupation? It can’t be for their protection.

Jim Warland, Lakewood

This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.

I nearly spewed my coffee into the wallpaper when I saw that Republican legislators castigated Gov. Bill Ritter for his willingness to allow prisons in Colorado to be a destination for Guantanamo “detainees.” The legislators are indignant because, among other reasons, accepting Guantanamo prisoners would “hurt tourism.” One legislator said people won’t visit states that incarcerate alleged heinous crimials. No one visited California when Alcatraz was operating, right?

Yet on the same day that Republicans were expressing alarm about the tourist/inmate connection, a Colorado jury convicted local man Wayne Glasser of rape. In his trial, it came out that Glasser’s victims included a dead woman, his sister, uncle, stepdaughter, various other relatives and the family dog.

So do our Republican legislators, who led the charge in Colorado to build more prisons, really think who is imprisoned in our state affects tourism?

Dan Danbom, Denver

This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.

Here is my simple solution for Not In My Backyard placement of the Guantanamo “enemy combatants” on United States soil.

Have the federal government and the Department of Defense seize, through eminent domain, 50 percent of former President George W. Bush’s and former Vice President Dick Cheney’s ranches.
Build detention facilities on the seized land and then both Bush and Cheney would have to live next to their legacy of lies, torture and deceit.

William Chengelis, Denver

This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.

These are the people we built these types of places for. However, these types of places are for those convicted of the charges.

Progressives shouted as loud as they could to our conservative friends contemporaneously, not to torture anyone for two important reasons: Most of the evidence demonstrates you get inaccurate information; and then when it came time to prosecute, not many courts would want to try any of them so they would walk, and be all the more radical in their views toward our country.

The year of scale-down set in motion recently will allow time to sort through the paperwork and see what we have in Gitmo. During this time, maybe we can improve our image to those inside. When those cleared are ready to go, we can set them loose, some with constant monitoring, if we believe it is necessary. Actually, if done right, those wh do try to go back to their terrorist buddies may lead us to those we want now. We know how to do this.

For those we have solid evidence of crimes committed, but have tortured, as defined by the Geneva Conventions, they need to be held in one of our illegal-immigration detention centers until we believe their threat to us is negligible, worth the gamble of letting them go or not. Those that we catch alive from now on get their day in court, and any sentencing that follows.

What don’t you people understand about terrorists? Do you think they can be rehabilitated? Do you think they are like you? Are you so committed to the new administration that you can’t see the forest for the trees?

Once these terrorists get into the United States they will immediately be given “rights afforded to Americans” The ACLU will step in and demand trials by jurors of their “peers” — just who might they be?

Just what do the state of Colorado and Ritter know that the people don’t know?

It’s dangerous for the country and Colorado to have these terrorists on our soil. They spread their evil like a disease to small-minded people who think they have been taken advantage of by state and local police. The ACLU will make certain that they spew their evil in the newspapers and in the media during “trials” held by people who have no idea what they did or who they are.

The Denver Post, in its editorial condemnation of the Ameristar for building a 33-story hotel in connection with its casino, needs to reflect on what Black Hawk would be like without gambling. To do that, consider what Black Hawk was before gambling: historic but decaying buildings in a dying economy.

As one who frequents the Ameristar to play blackjack, I look forward to spending a few nights in the Ameristar’s first-rate hotel when the weather is more agreeable and the hotel is open. I don’t mind contributing taxes to the state’s economy in the form of any money I lose to the Ameristar’s courteous and friendly dealers.

Instead of “A gamble that didn’t pay off,” as asserted by The Denver Post, the Ameristar and gambling in Black Hawk are winners for the state’s economy and the local economy of Black Hawk, whether I win or lose at the tables.

Rachel’s Challenge, a school program developed by the family of Columbine victim Rachel Scott, is a well-intentioned effort to make sense of her tragic death in good works to reduce school violence. The program encourages teens to reach out in compassion to peers who seem isolated or troubled. Who could be against that?

The trouble is that Rachel Scott is a Christian icon because her family published a book, “Rachel’s Tears,” describing her as a martyr for her Christian faith. No matter how much this private program avoids overt Christian proselytism in schools, it will be known as Christian-associated, and this is improper in public schools.

I attended a Rachel’s Challenge public information session in our local high school a year or two ago, and I was struck that most of the presenters were from local Christian churches, and about two-thirds of the funding sponsors were from Christian churches or organizations.

There are many school programs that help instill compassion, tolerance and understanding, which is key in reducing student alienation, bullying, and resulting violence and suicide. Do we really need a Christian-based program in our public schools? Some close observers of the Columbine tragedy would say that evangelism and Christian intolerance at Columbine High School contributed to it.

Louise Benson, Broomfield

This letter was published in the Feb. 1 edition.

From an article in my hometown paper in McVille, N.D., I read about the combined efforts of high school students from McVille and nearby town Lakota to present Rachel’s Challenge at Lakota High School in November.

I was so impressed that Rachel Scott’s writings and diaries inspired students to create a chain reaction of kindness and concern throughout schools in the U.S.
These towns are very small: Lakota’s population is 781 and McVille’s is 470. But students are not backward or oblivious to what’s going on in the rest of the U.S. Thumbs up to North Dakota.

I keep reading about the poor and, in some cases, non-existent high-tech computer systems in all of government, but especially in the White House.

A great gesture to advancing efficiency for government and getting great publicity for their companies would be for Warren Buffet and Bill Gates to take on the task of bringing the executive branch of our government up to 21st century communications standards. This would be a great service to all of us. It makes no sense to have our government still wallowing in old technology when it could easily be as up to date as any company in America.

I know that a lot of politicians would try to block this for many reasons — security, politics, and just plain orneriness, but it could be pushed through if someone would foot the bill.

I applaud the president’s declaration that America will no longer torture people from foreign countries to achieve our objectives. I would applaud him far more if he would declare that America will no longer kill people in foreign countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan to achieve our objectives. I find it incomprehensible that we consider torture more reprehensible than killing people.

Leo J. Kuntz, Aurora

We finally passed TABOR after three tries because our legislators were unable to break their habit of increasing spending. If TABOR is gutted, state spending will again increase beyond sustainability. I will fight against gutting TABOR, although correcting the restraints imposed in down times is acceptable.

Dave Miller, Sedalia

Just a quick note to thank you for carrying the columns of Dr. Ved Nanda. It is refreshing to have a local person writing in regard to international affairs, especially someone as gifted and knowledgeable as Dr. Nanda. We find his columns to be thought-provoking, informative and enlightening.

Dick and Susie Krepel, Lakewood

As a longtime Republican activist (now ex-), I got a kick out of Mike Keefe’s cartoon of the two out-of-work elephants in front of the White House fence (“Look! He’s being sworn again!”) However, to be true to life, they should not be elephants. They should be goats in elephant suits.

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